aw wow

thanks bro

  “i dont feel like youre okay.”
  kaneda was focused on tetsuo’s moist forehead where he tried to overlap bandaids.

  “why dont you believe me? i’m fine.” tetsuo winced and pulled away from kaneda’s touch for just a second, flashing him a glare.

  “this is the third time you’ve run out and come back battered this week,” kaneda mumbled. he grabbed another bandaid and calculated the best place on tetsuo’s face to put it. it really was a mess, ugly after a skid. “i know what you’re thinking when you leave,” he said even more quietly, unwrapping the bandaid.

  tetsuo reanimated. “oh? what am i thinking?”

  kaneda lowered his hands and looked up for easier thought. “lemme rephrase,” he said, pointing a finger. “i think i know what youre thinking when you leave.” he paused, thought, then nodded, returning his focus to his hands.the bandaid will go on tetsuo’s chin. “and what i think is that you know…” kaneda started to mumble, sticking the bandaid over a bright gash, “what will happen when you leave at night.” he’d begun to speak most quietly. he smoothed down the bandaid edges with his fingers, letting his thumb run slightly over tetsuo’s bottom lip.

  “what do you mean?” tetsuo snapped, making kaneda jump. kaneda blinked. “what do i think will happen?”

  kaneda blushed, uncomfortable. he moved his eyes and hands back down to the bandaids scattered on the floor. “well, i think you know you’re going to get hurt.” tetsuo’s face softened, his lips pursing slightly. kaneda kept himself down, scratching at a bandaid’s wrapping. “and that i’ll help you when you do.” tetsuo gripped his knees.

  “you’re that self-centered?” kaneda shrugged, holding the last bandaid out over tetsuo’s jaw. “you think i can’t take care of myself?” his jaw was too sweaty. kaneda stuck the bandaid to one thumb and picked up the pink-stained washcloth again with his other hand.

  “i just think you don’t want to,” kaneda said, gently wiping down tetsuo’s jaw and neck. the boy winced again. “and that’s alright, because i wouldn’t want to, either.”

  tetsuo didn’t respond, staring downward at nothing. kaneda stopped moving and gazed at him, forgetting that was awkward. kaneda sighed, tetsuo relaxing his shoulders a bit, defeatedly. the washcloth slipped away as kaneda adjusted his hand to cup tetsuo’s face the slightest amount more. realizing, he blinked hard.

  “and i don’t mind helping you,” he said. and he left it at that. kaneda put the cloth down, lifted up the bandaid and flattened it over tetsuo’s scrapes. he patted it down, feeling the warmth from tetsuo’s neck, blinking a bit with a wave sudden helplessness gently lapped at his chest.

  he pulled his hand back and finally looked up at tetsuo, inhaling and exhaling through his nose. “done!” he said, slapping tetsuo’s knee, “good as new.” tetsuo’s face was a glowing red from within, he finally noticed. embarrassment? a need for tears? bashfulness? admiration…? kaneda decided to ignore it, for tetsuo’s sake and his own.

  “thanks,” tetsuo said. he kept staring down, his nails scraping at his pants. the side of his face was riddled with awkwardly placed bandages, blood seeping through them in little and big lines and dots. tetsuo raised his eyes. “you know, i…” kaneda waited. “i can take care of myself.” almost a like a hint.

  kaneda grinned mock-shyly and squinted thoughtfully, his mouth a curved line. tetsuo seemed to panic a bit at the face. “oh, i know,” kaneda said.

  alright im too lazy to finish